Business owners, managers, event organizers, et al, are encouraged to contact Associate Editor Shannon Hicks at shannon@thebee.com. Updates to current information are also invited.

Organizations, businesses, and general announcements are listed first, following by special events by date.

NEW THIS WEEK

*CVS stores issued an announcement on July 24 reminding customers that while the national retail and pharmacy chain’s employees “have been wearing masks and face coverings for months,” it is time to insist that all customers do the same. “When we learned about the recent spike in COVID-19 infections across the country, we joined other retailers and health care providers in requiring all of our walk-in customers to wear one as well.”

The new mandate went into effect Monday, July 20, at all CVS stores across the country. Signs at the front of each store remind customers of the new requirement, and show how to properly wear a face covering so that it completely covers one’s nose, mouth and chin. For those who forget their mask at home, CVS employees can help, according to the announcement.

*On July 28, Newtown Lions Club announced the cancellation of The 2020 Great Pootatuck Duck Race, postponed from May 30 to September 5. Organizers said this week that the cancellation came due to the continuing risk and uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mustang raffle tickets are still being sold online at newtownlions.org and from members. The drawing for this year’s vehicle is scheduled for Saturday, October 17. Visit the club’s website for additional information.

*Newtown Community Center Director Matt Ariniello confirmed this week that meetings of AA, local garden clubs, American Legion Post 202, and the Rotary Club of Newtown are all on hold.

Newtown Yoga Festival, also according to Ariniello, scheduled for August 22 at the community center, has been postponed until November. New date TBA.

*On July 28, Newtown Parks & Recreation announced that an Outdoor Movie Night event planned for Tuesday, August 4, at Fairfield Hills, was canceled “due to sector rules for reopening Connecticut.”

BUSINESSES & ORGANIZATIONS

Big Y World Class Market, 6 Queen Street, is open at 7 am for senior citizens, 8 am for everyone else, and remaining open until 8 pm daily, until further notice.

Booth Library remains closed. The town library continues to offer multiple virtual programs and curbside service; call 203-426-4533 for details. Library cards due to expire have been extended to October 1, according to the library’s website.

Caraluzzi’s Newtown Market, 5 Queen Street, is open from 7 until 8 am daily for shoppers age 60 and over, and from 8 am until 9 pm for all, until further notice.

Curbside pickup is available for essential items, only in Newtown. Customers use Care Cards to access the online program, select and pay for their items online, choose a pickup time, and Caraluzzi’s employees load everything into the customer’s vehicle. Visit caraluzzis.com/curbside-pickup for details.

The bottle return machines are available for use, but shopping carts are not to be used to transport bottles and cans.

Cornerstone Ministry at Newtown Congregational Church remains closed until further notice.

Edmond Town Hall is closed until further notice. Building staff continue to work on cleaning and special projects throughout the building, and administrative staff continues to work including answering calls (203-270-4285) and e-mails (manager@edmondtownhall.org).

ETH is now offering virtual and drive-in movies. See our calendar listings, in print and online, for screening times and other information. For additional information visit edmondtownhall.org.

EverWonder Children’s Museum remains closed until further notice. Visit its Facebook page for activity suggestions.

FAITH Food Pantry is operating by appointment only. Call 203-426-5604 or 203-837-0816 to make an appointment to pick up food, toiletries, pet supplies, etc. or to donate to the pantry.

FISH of Newtown, Inc, the volunteer medical transportation service, has canceled service until further notice.

Girl Scouts of Connecticut, including Girl Scouts of Newtown, has suspended all activity and meetings.

The Newtown Bee offices, 5 Church Hill Road, are open. Connect by phone (203-426-3141) or e-mail (start with editor@thebee.com for Editorial or sherri@thebee.com for Sales/Classified and all other content). All visitors must wear a face mask to enter the building.

When the weather cooperates, copies of the print edition are sold on a cart outside the front door. Papers are $1 each, and an honor box is on the cart.

To subscribe to The Newtown Bee visit newtownbee.com and click Subscribe (top of the page, in green). To subscribe to its sister paper Antiques And The Arts Weekly visit antiquesandthearts.com/subscribe.

Newtown Bridge Club is hosting virtual games at 10:15 am daily, at bridgebase.com. Master points are awarded.

Newtown Community Center, 8 Simpson Street, has reopened on its summer schedule as of July 5. Call 203-270-4349 or visit newtowncommunitycenter.org for details.

Newtown Municipal Center, 3 Primrose Street, reopened on July 1, with safety precautions in place: All visitors are asked to self-check for fever and COVID-19 symptoms before entering the building, and anyone with symptoms is asked to not visit at this time (anyone with a temperature of 100.4 degrees or higher will not be allowed entry); all visitors must wear protective face coverings; visitor logs will be kept for each department; only one family member as a time should enter the building; and patrons are asked to use their own pens, if possible. Contact information for each department is available at the town website (newtown-ct.gov).

Newtown Parent Connection has suspended in-person meetings of its support groups until further notice. Virtual meetings continue to be held: The Bereavement group meets Tuesdays at 7 pm; Milford/Fairfield Hope & Support virtual meetings are Wednesdays at 7 pm; and Newtown Hope & Support meets Thursdays at 7 pm.

Visit newtownparentconnection.org for sign-in information for each of the groups; the links and passwords will remain the same for the full series of group meetings. Those who need individual assistance should call 203-270-1600.

Newtown Park & Bark, 21 Old Farm Road, has reopened. The park is limited to 20 humans at a time. All visitors must practice social distancing. The water features of the park are not yet being turned on. There are no public restrooms. BYO hand sanitizer and have a parking permit; permits can be ordered through Parks & Rec at 203-270-4340. Ambassadors will be spot-checking the numbers of visitors and parking permits.

Newtown Parks & Recreation programs and activities are ongoing. COVID-19 guidelines and restrictions are in place. Organized sporting activities are postponed indefinitely. Scheduled field use will resume when schools reopen.

Eichler’s Cove beach and Treadwell Park pool have both reopened. A reservation system through Parks & Rec allows a limited number of residents to use each facility. There are reduced-cost pool and beach memberships this year. Contact Parks & Rec at 203-270-4340 for more information.

Newtown residents should also note that the beach and pool will be closed at 1 pm on Friday, August 7, for Staff Appreciation Day.

Pole Bridge and Orchard Hill preserves remain open for hiking.

Newtown Police Department asks residents and others to not visit 3 Main Street unless it is an emergency. Call 911 in the event of an emergency, but use the department’s routine phone line (203-426-5841) for all other calls.

Those who do go to the station will be directed to an internal phone in the lobby, from which they will be connected to an officer.

The records window is closed until further notice; requests can be made over the phone, via e-mail, and via USPS. Car seat installation services are suspended until further notice.

Fingerprinting has resumed on Wednesdays, by appointment only.

Newtown Public Schools are closed.

Newtown Public Works & Engineering departments, 4 Turkey Hill Road, are open by appointment only. Call 203-270-4300 to schedule an appointment, including arrangements for compost bags or recycling bins.

Newtown Senior Center is closed until further notice.

Through CW Resources, the senior center’s meal provider, prepackaged lunches for senior citizens are available Monday through Thursday, with advance registration. Suggested donation is $3, cash. Those not yet registered for the congregate meal program at Newtown Senior Center, required by CW Resources, can do so when they pick up their first meal. Call 203-270-4310, to place a lunch order.

Newtown Youth & Family Services offices are closed; staff remains available for non-emergency calls. All outpatient services have moved to an online platform; visit newtownyouthandfamilyservices.org for details.

NYFS has begun offering virtual and tele-health appointments, according to NYFS Executive Director Candice Bohr. Contact NYFS’s answering service at 203-791-7332. Call 911 in the event of an emergency.

NYA Sports & Fitness Center, 4 Primrose Street, has reopened with modified hours and new safety measures in place. Members and visitors are required to wear masks; social distancing must be maintained; practice frequent handwashing; anyone not feeling well is asked to stay home; practice proper hygiene and wipe down equipment before and after use; all staff, members, and visitors will receive a health screening questionnaire and have their temperatures taken via touchless thermometer before being allowed to enter the building. Anyone with a temperature of 100.4 degrees or higher will not be allowed to enter.

Those planning to join the center or visit for the first time since the shutdown should visit nyasportsfitness.com/covid19 for the latest reopening information.

Old Glory Days, 107 Church Hill Road, Suite GL-1, is seeing clients again, according to a note from its director, Emily Slattery, LMSW.

The Resiliency Center of Newtown is open by appointment only; call 203-364-9750.

Stop & Shop stores, including Sand Hill Plaza, 228 South Main Street, are open between 6 and 7:30 am for customers age 60 and older and anyone with a compromised immune system. The store is open to all customers from 7:30 am- 8 pm.

Online pickup has resumed. Visit peapod.com and select Delivery/Pickup Times at the Newtown address. Customers can then head to the store at their chosen pickup time, park in a designated pickup spot, then call to let the store team know they have arrived. Stop & Shop team members will deliver the order right to their car. There is a $2.95 fee for this service and a $30 order minimum.

The bottle redemption room has reopened, with a time limit, for those who want to begin redeeming bottles and cans again.

The VNA Thrift Shop at Edmond Town Hall remains closed.

Weaving Newtown sessions are canceled until further notice.

SPECIAL EVENTS

Saturday, August 22: The 6th Annual Catherine’s Butterfly Party, already postponed from June, has been canceled. Organizers are planning next year’s event, Saturday, June 5, 2021.

Saturday, August 22: The 2020 Newtown Yoga Festival has been postponed to November, according to Newtown Community Center Director Matt Arienello; new date TBA.

Saturday: August 29: Botsford Fire Rescue has canceled its 2020 Summer Bash.

Saturday, September 5: The 2020 Great Pootatuck Duck Race has been canceled.

Monday, September 7: The Newtown Labor Day Parade has been canceled.

Saturday, September 12: The 3rd Annual Run 4 Hunger & Health, a 5K run/walk to benefit FAITH Food Pantry and Newtown Youth & Family Services, has been canceled.

Sunday, September 27: The return to Edmond Town Hall by comedian Tom Green has been postponed to 2021; new date TBA. Tickets from this year will be honored on the new date, according to the promoter.

Sunday, October 18: The return performance by The Imagination Movers, already rescheduled from May, has been postponed again, this time to 2021; new date TBA. Tickets from May or October will be honored next year, according to the promoter.